Delayed treatment for brain injuries can be detrimental

College football season is coming to its exciting end as teams are preparing for conference championships and bowl games. While Texas residents may be excited to root for their favorite teams, they may notice that from week to week some of their teams’ regular players are not on the field. This may be due to the players’ suffering injuries and being in what many refer to as “concussion protocols.”
A concussion protocol is a series of observations and tests that give doctors and players information that helps to determine if a player suffered a concussion and, if so, how serious it is. It allows players to recover and heal before getting back on the field and protects their chances for recovery. While colleges have taken to heart the importance of post-brain injury care, some individuals who suffer brain injuries off of the field do not get the same considerations.
The failure of medical professionals to identify and diagnose concussions and other brain injuries in their patients can cause victims to suffer longer and more serious complications. In addition to headaches, coordination issues and memory loss, victims of brain injuries can suffer loss of motor function, body control, and other serious effects.
When a doctor suspects that a patient has suffered a brain injury, they should proactively seek treatment for that patient, so the patient is provided with the care and attention they need. The failure of a doctor to identify and seek treatment for a brain injury may leave a victim with long-term suffering and a potential basis for pursuing a medical malpractice claim.